N.B. party leaders make campaign pitches to city councillors before fall election

The leaders of New Brunswick’s three political parties in the legislature are delivering special presentations to municipal councils across the province, in the lead-up to a fall provincial election writ being issued.

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs, Liberal Leader Susan Holt, and Green Party Leader David Coon all delivered presentations at a special council meeting Monday night in Saint John, N.B., with a question-and-answer session from council afterward.

All three leaders are scheduled to make similar presentations in Moncton on Wednesday night, at a special meeting inside the Avenir Centre, followed by Fredericton City Council next Monday night.

Prior to the Saint John council meeting, leaders were presented with a position paper outlining the city’s key priorities, including: a new ‘comprehensive recreation facility,’ expansion of the city’s industrial park, the corporatization of Saint John Energy, affordable housing, and fiscal tax reform.

Three Saint John city councillors declared conflicts of interest before the presentations began and watched from the gallery (Coun. Joanna Killen is a Green Party candidate, Coun. Brent Harris is a Green Party campaign manager, and Coun. David Hickey is a Liberal candidate).

On tax reform, the city’s position paper says it “strongly supports” the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick's position to reallocate heavy industry property tax revenues to municipalities where they’re generated.

The UMNB is also calling for a portion of the HST to go to municipalities for policing, water, and waste collection costs.

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Holt and Coon said heavy industry would be included within their own respective tax reform plans before January 2026. Higgs deferred questions on property tax timelines to Local Government Minister Glen Savoie, who said consultations on the government’s municipal fiscal reform ‘white paper’ should be complete by January 2025.

On affordable housing, Higgs said his government’s pledge to organize designated addictions and mental health treatment centres across the province would broadly address homelessness issues. Holt and Coon said increasing accessibility to mental health and addiction services already on the ground should become a greater priority.

All three leaders also voiced support for road improvements around the Simms Corner intersection on the city’s west side, as outlined in the city’s position paper.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.